The present invention relates to a tooth brushing timing device and more particularly pertains to inducing children to brush their teeth.
Various displays and devices have long been utilized by parents in an effort to encourage their children to brush their teeth for an extended period of time. Dentists tell these parents that frequent tooth brushing for extended periods of time is an essential component of proper dental hygiene. There are several prior art devices which act as toothbrush holders and which provide an incentive for a small child to brush his/her teeth for a predetermined period of time. These devices are activated when the toothbrush is removed from its receptacle. These devices to not provide a clear signal that tells a small child when to start and stop brushing.
The present invention attempts to provide a device that will alert a small child to brush and to stop brushing their teeth. Additionally, the present invention can be secured to a mirror surface directly in front of the child while being used.
The use of dental hygiene device is known in the prior art. More specifically, dental hygiene device heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of promoting dental hygiene are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,325 to Arpadi discloses a toothbrush holder with an amusing representation of a face and a timer incorporated therewith. The Arpadi device appears to show a housing and a visual representation of a mouth with means to show either yellow or clean teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,234 to Stubbmann discloses an animated and musical toothbrush timer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,940 to Savery discloses a visual display for improving dental hygiene.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a tooth brushing timing device for inducing children to brush their teeth.
In this respect, the tooth brushing timing device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of inducing children to brush their teeth.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved tooth brushing timing device which can be used for inducing children to brush their teeth. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.